UW officer charged with disorderly conduct for stalking complaint

MADISON (WKOW) -- A UW-Madison police officer is accused of using a law enforcement search tool to track down a woman's name and address for personal use.

Madison police reports detail an incident where campus police Capt. Johnnie Diamante saw a woman at a grocery store on Madison's east side in February. The two didn't really interact beyond saying hello, but the next day the woman found a Valentine's Day card on her car from him.

A 33-page report outlines how Diamante found the woman's name by looking up her license plate number in a police database. He then searched online court records to find her address and left the card on her car, which was parked outside her home.

Records indicate the woman showed detectives the card which read: "So sorry about yesterday. If you would like to talk or be friends--meet me at Aldi's again today at 4:20 PM. Happy Valentine's Day, John."

The woman called Madison police, who went with her to meet Diamante at the store.

Madison police and UW police both conducted investigations.

"[Diamante] received both a citation from the city of Madison and then also that caused an investigation by our department," says UW Police Capt. Steve Rogers. "As a result of that investigation, he was suspended without pay for two days."

While the incident happened in February Diamante was not suspended until last week, pending an investigation. He is now back on duty and faces a disorderly conduct charge.

Reports show the woman told police she had initially thought nothing of what she called an awkward moment in the store, when she said 'hi' to Diamante and he didn't respond, but after getting the note she said she was upset and worried for her safety.

"He knows way too much about me," the woman was quoted as saying. "He knows where I live, he knows my car, he knows my full name. He's going to come hurt me."

Diamante told detectives he thought the woman wanted to talk with him while they were in the store and said he knew it was a mistake.

"I'm sure it freaked her out," Diamante said to detectives, as quoted in the report. "I'm not contacting her ever again, obviously. I mean, I'm sure that you know that though; and I just learned a valuable lesson. I mean, you know, no matter what, no matter how bad your life really is, there's just certain things you just, you just can't do."

UW police Capt. Rogers says Capt. Diamante has an exemplary record at the department otherwise, including some commendations. He's been with UW police since 1997.

While Madison police provided the case report, a spokesperson declined to comment on the case, saying it's a personnel matter involving another department.